Nickelodeon Sets New ‘Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Series

We haven’t heard much in the realm of a third Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, but the TV branch is at least keeping busy. 2018 will see a new Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series, switching to a new animation style and adding “more humor, a younger and lighter feel and all-new dimensions to explore.”

As announced at the Nickelodeon upfront presentation (via Variety), the network has ordered 26 episodes of the 2D Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to take over for the current CG incarnation, whose fifth and final season starts airing on March 19. The new fall 2018 series will follow the foursome in a more mystical New York City, with a synopsis outlined below:

‘Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ will follow Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo on all-new adventures as they seek to unlock the mystical secrets of New York City. From the tallest skyscraper to the dankest sewer drain, the Turtles will encounter absurd new mutants and battle bizarre creatures all while enjoying their favorite slice of pizza. Tapping into mystic, ninja powers they never knew existed, the four brothers must learn to work together and navigate the perils of the modern age and hidden realms in order to fulfill their destiny to become a team of heroes.

Says Nickelodeon boss Cyma Zarghami:

The Turtles is a property that has reinvention in its DNA, which keeps it fresh and relevant to every new generation while satisfying the demand from its adult fans. ‘Turtles’ has been an incredibly important franchise for us since we reignited it five years ago, and we’re excited for the new series to take the characters in a different direction with more humor, a younger and lighter feel and all-new dimensions to explore.

The new series will co-executive produced by Samurai Jack character designer Andy Suriano, along with current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles supervising producer Ant Ward. We’ll have more details in the coming months, but was it time for new Turtles regardless?